1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to restraints for motor vehicles and, more specifically, to a restraint system for a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to provide seats for a motor vehicle. It is also known to provide a restraint system such as a seat belt restraint to restrain an occupant in a seat of the motor vehicle. Typically, the belt restraint includes a retractor attached to the seat or vehicle structure and attached to the seat belt. The belt restraint also includes a latch plate attached to one end of the seat belt and a buckle attached by belt webbing to the seat or vehicle structure. The belt restraint is buckled and unbuckled by engagement and disengagement between the latch plate and buckle.
It is further known to provide an inflatable restraint for an occupant in a motor vehicle, which is commonly referred to as an air bag. The air bag is stored in the motor vehicle in an un-inflated condition. When the motor vehicle experiences a collision-indicating condition of at least a predetermined threshold level, gas is directed to flow into the air bag from a gas-producing source. The gas inflates the air bag to an extended condition in which the air bag extends into the occupant compartment of the motor vehicle. When the air bag is inflated into the occupant compartment, it restrains movement of the occupant to help protect the occupant from forcefully striking stiffer elements of the motor vehicle interior as a result of the collision.
Although the above restraints have worked, it is desirable to provide a restraint system for positively restraining an occupant in the motor vehicle. It is also desirable to provide a restraint system that takes into account the position of the seat, weight of the occupant, and impact severity to deploy an inflatable restraint. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a restraint system for a motor vehicle that meets these desires.
Accordingly, the present invention is a restraint system for a motor vehicle. The restraint system includes a plurality of sensors for sensing vehicle conditions of restraint deployment thresholds. The restraint system also includes an electronic controller electrically connected to the sensors for determining whether one of the sensors experiences sufficient deceleration. The restraint system further includes at least one inflatable restraint operatively connected to the electronic controller for deployment thereby in a first stage if the deceleration warrants a first stage deployment and in a second stage if the deceleration warrants a second stage deployment when the sensors sense vehicle conditions achieving the restraint deployment thresholds to restrain an occupant in a seat of the motor vehicle.
In addition, the present invention is a method of deploying an inflatable restraint of a restraint system for a vehicle. The method includes the step of setting restraint deployment thresholds based on belt status of the restraint system. The method also includes the step of determining whether a sensor experiences sufficient deceleration to warrant either a first stage deployment or a second stage deployment of the inflatable restraint. The method includes the step of verifying deceleration from a separate sensor. The method further includes the step of deploying a first stage of the inflatable restraint if the deceleration warrants a first stage deployment and deploying a second stage of the inflatable restraint if the deceleration warrants a second stage of deployment.
One advantage of the present invention is that a new restraint system is provided for a motor vehicle that positively restrains an occupant in a seat of the motor vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the restraint system takes into account the position of the seat, weight of the occupant, and severity of the impact in determining inflation of an inflatable restraint. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the restraint system determines whether the occupant is buckled in a seat belt restraint for determining whether to activate a seat belt pretensioner.